Brothers in Arms
by Ninja-Consultant
Summary: Superboy and Match: are they enemies, rivals, brothers, all of these, or none of them? A fourpart story that involves an accidental meeting and its consequences. Completed. Edited for minor corrections.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: DC Comics owns all rights to the characters within. They are used without permission and not meant to infringe on copyrights or meant to generate income.

There are some parts where there is internal dialog, but the identity of the person speaking should become apparent.

Edited on 23 Feb to include breaks between sections.

Brothers in Arms, chapter 1

By my nature, I'm a pessimist.

It's difficult not to be with what I've experienced. Being cloned by an organization that's out to rule the world does not leave you with much time or energy to dream about what you'd like to become. Instead, I was forced to deal with whatever crisis of the moment was happening. When groups like the JLA opposed them, the Agenda couldn't hope to compete. Being on the eternally losing side makes you plan for everything to go wrong.

* * *

Conner was walking home when he saw a familiar figure headed down Smallville's main street. He recognized him instantly because they shared the same face. Match, his white-haired clone, was headed into an alley. Conner shadowed him and saw him enter a building. He changed into costume and tried to hear what was happening. His super-hearing wasn't entirely reliable yet and this was a time when it wasn't working. He could make out multiple voices but not what they were saying. It looked like he was going to have to go in to find out what Match was doing.

He flung the door open (which his tactile telekinesis helpfully unlocked) to see Match and three people in dark suits. Two of them pulled guns and aimed them at him.

Match looked up in shock and growled, "You!"

The unarmed man raised his hand in restraint. "Hold your fire, men. We have no quarrel with Superboy."

"What are you up to, Match?" Superboy demanded. "What's going on here?"

"It's none of your concern," he replied, the barest hint of anger in his eyes.

"Please restrain yourself, Match," the leader of the group said, taking out an identification card. "Superboy, I am Thames. I'm with the government."

Superboy took a look at the card. It looked authentic to him.

"What branch are you with?" he asked.

"We're part of an off-shoot of Checkmate. I'm afraid that you're not cleared for the name."

"Then, clear me."

Thames started at him a moment before shrugging. "Fine. We're with Group I."

"What's Group I's purpose?"

"We're involved with the internal security of the country among other things."

"I thought the FBI was responsible for that."

"We offer deniability."

Superboy pointed at Match. "What's he doing here?"

"Match is an operative," Thames replied. "He's working with us to atone for his past deeds."

Superboy turned to Match. "Who do you think you're fooling?"

Match icily replied, "I don't expect you to understand."

"Try me."

"It never was my desire to oppose you. I don't want to be the 'evil clone' anymore. Here, I've done some good."

"Like what?" Superboy looked skeptical.

"Match was instrumental in the breakup of some weapon smuggling rings," Thames said.

"No way," Superboy said. "Really?"

"He's quite skilled. He's currently working on bringing down a kidnapping ring."

"Who are they kidnapping?"

"Teenagers," Match replied curtly.

"Then how," Superboy began. "Oh. You're going to get yourself kidnapped."

"That's the plan."

"Look, I'll help. Kidnappers need to be stopped."

Match's eyes flashed. "You're not qualified."

Thames intervened. "Don't be so hasty, Match. This could be an excellent opportunity. We could have a better chance of getting them if there are two of you out there."

* * *

I couldn't believe that I was being partnered with him. He's the one I've spent my life running away from. It appeared that my life was going to continue to suck.

* * *

Superboy looked at his reflection with a critical eye. He was dressed in a shocking manner with his "shirt" showing more flesh than it covered. He looked like he was looking for a good time and wouldn't stop until he found it. He hoped no one he knew saw him.

As embarrassed as he was, he felt better when he saw Match. Not only was he immodestly dressed as well, but he was wearing goth makeup.

"Nice look," he said, straight-faced.

Match gave him a scathing look. "Are you ready?"

"Let me review the plan one last time. We use these fake IDs to get into this club and have a good time until someone kidnaps us?"

"That's correct. We pretend to be kidnapped and after we're taken to their base of operations, we subdue them and call in a team to bring everyone in and scrub the area for other information."

"What are these guys doing with their abductees?"

"Nothing pleasant. Harvesting organs from some of them, selling others."

"Charming. Let's take 'em down."

* * *

I wasn't going to let him know that those clothes made me as uncomfortable as he was. In this job, some...unpleasant things had happened.

* * *

Superboy had no problem getting in the club even though someone his age should have been stopped. It probably had something to do with the 50 he slipped the bouncer.

As "Karl," he hit the dance floor and flirted with the ladies. He noticed that "Ron" was working on the goth crowd. The two managed to make it clear that they were alone and weren't interested in a long-term relationship.

Finally, a woman approached him with a drink. She handed it to him.

"Here you go, stud," she purred. "You don't come around here often, do you?"

He took a sip. It tasted a bit funny.

"It's my first time here," he admitted. "What about you?"

"I'm a regular here," she replied watching him as he finished the drink. "I keep an eye out for talent."

He smiled rakishly at her. "You think I've got talent?"

She ran her hands through his hair. "I know it."

"So, you wanna dance?" His head was getting muddled.

"How about we go back to my place to party?" she suggested with a smile.

"Sure," he said, his words a bit slurred.

He went out with her and was shoved into the back of a van where he lost consciousness.

* * *

Superboy woke up with a headache, a foul taste in his mouth, and with his hands tied behind his back. He noticed Match similarly bound but looking much more alert.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "You were out for more than half an hour longer than I was."

"I feel like crap," Kon-El complained. "What was in that drink?"

"Probably gamma-hydroxybutyrate. Do you need more time to recover?"

"Give me five minutes. Are we the only captives?"

"The only ones in this room. I'd guess that other would be in different rooms."

After a few more minutes, Superboy nodded. Match snapped his bindings easily, but it took Kon-El some effort.

"My powers are a bit on the fritz," he admitted. "I don't think I'm at full power."

Match replied, "We'll just have to be careful then."

As the two left their room, an alarm sounded. Guards with machine guns appeared, but they were unprepared for two of their captives having superpowers. They dispatched them easily, but more came.

Unfortunately, Superboy's powers cut out and he leaned against the wall, a bit disoriented. One of the guards took this opportunity to aim at him and fire.

"Superboy!" Match cried out, throwing his power out to shield him.

* * *

I saved you.

I can't believe that. I thought that I hated you and would be happier without you.

It took for you to be about to be killed for me to realize how I really felt about you.

You're my brother. A brother I fight with and disagree with, but a brother nonetheless.

I have family. A brother.

Wow.

* * *

Superboy recovered his powers, and the two of them quickly took care of the rest of the guards and kidnapping ring. They had half a dozen other captives and records on what happened to dozens of others. Match called in to get Group I to do a thorough search of the area.

While waiting for them to come, Superboy approached him. "Hey, for that time back when my powers cut out..."

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

Superboy gave Match a look to see if he was mocking him or gloating. He looked genuinely glad to be of help.

"You know, we make a good team," Match said.

"Yeah, I guess we do. Funny that we always fought before."

Match shrugged. "I'm not the same person I was before. If you need my help, give me a call, okay? You can reach me through Group I."

Superboy smiled. "I'll do that."

* * *

He left then. I had my debriefing, but it seemed to go faster.

Maybe things were finally starting to turn around for me. I was doing good work. I was patching up my relationship with my brother.

I was starting to feel good about things.

* * *

"Match, I have your next assignment," Thames said.

"What's the mission?"

"We have a security leak. You're the best one suited to take care of it."

Thames handed him a file. Match opened it to see who the target was.

It was Superboy. His orders were to kill him.

* * *

I knew things were too good to be true.

* * *

Any and all comments are welcome! 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: DC Comics owns all rights to the characters within. They are used without permission and not meant to infringe on copyrights or meant to generate income.

There are some parts where there is internal dialog, but the identity of the person speaking should become apparent.

Brothers in Arms, chapter 2

I had thought he changed. I really did.

I guess I'm too trusting. My trust in others has gotten me into trouble before (like with Knockout), but this betrayal feels different somehow. It feels more disappointing.

* * *

Kon-El couldn't believe the tape that Group I was showing him. On it, Match was tearing through the building, destroying quite a lot and defeating anyone who tried to stop him. He was shouting "kill him."

"You can see why we wanted you to be aware of this," Thames said. "He's become dangerously unstable, and we think he's coming after you."

"I thought he changed," Kon said.

"We did too," replied the other Group I agent named Seine. "That's why we're contacting you."

They were in the JLA Watchtower, accompanied by Superman. Kon was fairly sure that he heard Batman lurking around too.

"If you find him, please let us know," Thames said. "We want to get him. He hurt a lot of good men."

"We've provided a signal," Seine said.

After leaving the signal device, the two Group I agents left to be teleported back to Earth.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Superman asked.

"What's to talk about? He's a baddie. We'll go out and stop him."

* * *

Those words sounded fake to me, and I was the one who said them. I didn't suspect them to fool either Superman or Batman.

* * *

"He's dangerous," Batman said. "It's best if we deal with this."

"No!" Kon shouted. "I need to do this!"

* * *

After the two Group I agents were back on Earth, Seine asked, "Do you think this will work?"

Thames replied, "It'll take care of a problem. I have no doubts."

* * *

Conner was stumped. He couldn't figure out where Match was hiding. If his intention was to kill him, then he should have done something to lure him out. He was forced to consider the possibility that Match had figured out his identity as Conner Kent. That meant the Kents could be at risk.

He had to solve this and solve it quick.

* * *

Conner was not the only one working on finding Match. Superman has been patrolling the East Coast for him, and Batman was trying to puzzle out where he had gone.

"Oracle, I need a copy of what Group I had shown Superboy."

"You think there are clues on it?" she asked.

"It's more data," he said, simply.

"I can construct a copy from the JLA's surveillance equipment, but it'll be rough. Do you want me to get you a good copy too?"

"Yes. I need it to be as close to the original as possible."

"I'm on it."

* * *

I'm still trying to figure out why this bugs me so much. When Knockout did it, I was upset, but not this upset. Why does Match get under my skin like this?

Was it that he saved my life? Was it that he really seemed to have been my friend?

I think that's it. Looking back at it, Knockout was never my friend. She used me, her "pup." She never disguised her feelings. Match did.

Still, I'm surprised that he trashed Group I. I mean, he's always followed orders and been the good soldier. What could have caused him to do this? Does he hate me that much?

* * *

A couple days later, Conner was still trying to piece together where Match was when it came to him. People went to places to which they had an emotional connection. It made sense that Match would return to the place of his creation: the remains of the Agenda's Alaskan base.

Conner finished school and sprinted home. He left a note for the Kents and changed into costume. He remembered to pick up the signal device and flew to the ruins of the Agenda's base at his top speed.

It took him a little more than an hour to get there. It looked pretty much like it did when he left, a wrecked mess. He recalled that there were supposed to be elevated levels of radiation, but he wasn't going to be around long enough for them to affect him. He felt a surge of victory as he saw fresh footprints in the snow. He activated the signal device.

* * *

Batman was working when Oracle contacted him.

"We have a problem," she said.

"What is it?"

"I cleaned up Group I's little presentation. I noticed some anomalies in the audio. It was doctored."

"Were you able to reconstruct the original?"

"Yes. Fortunately, fragments of it were still in the active memory of the JLA computer."

"What did it say?"

Oracle played the audio for him. The true audio of the tape had Match going "I won't kill him!"

Batman said, "We need to tell Superboy. Notify Superman and have him contact him."

"I'm on it. Crap!"

"What?"

"Superboy just activated Group I's signal device. They're in Alaska."

"Inform Superman at once."

* * *

An agent of Group I said, "We have Superboy's signal."

"Excellent," said Thames, smiling. "Launch the cruise missiles."

"Yes, sir. They're launched and will hit in two minutes thirty-seven seconds."

* * *

Superboy made his way through the remains of the base. It was pretty much one giant room. One giant, wrecked room with rubble everywhere.

"Come on, Match, I know you're here," Superboy called out.

Match stepped out from behind a chunk of rubble. "Superboy? What are you doing here?"

* * *

I got angry. He was still lying to me. He was out to kill me and just pretending that everything was okay?

* * *

Kon snarled and lashed out with his heat vision. A look of surprise was evident on Match's face, but he recovered in time to bring up his powers to defend himself.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded. "What's come over you?"

Kon charged, and Match dodged out of the way. He took to the air and hovered there.

"Stop lying to me," Superboy snapped. "It's bad enough you want to kill me, but do you have to lie about it too?"

"What are you talking about?" Match returned to the ground and looked cautious.

Superboy threw several punches at Match that he either dodged or blocked.

Match jumped back. "Answer my question! Why did you come here?"

"Group I told me you wanted to kill me!"

Kon leapt at Match, and it was that moment when the cruise missiles struck. The walls and ceiling started to collapse. A wicked looking metal spike fell at Kon and was going to impale him.

"Look out!" Match shouted, shoving him out of the way.

* * *

Why did he save me? What was going on?

* * *

The spike buried itself in his gut. He collapsed on the floor.

"Match!" Kon shouted, rushing over to kneel by his side.

Match's eyes were glazed in shock. "Group I...wanted me to...kill you. I...couldn't...do it..."

"Match, don't you die on me!" Kon shouted.

The rubble continued to collapse, burying both of them.

* * *

Thames sat back and smiled at Seine. "Two problems have been taken care of."

Seine looked at him. "Get it confirmed first."

* * *

Any and all comments are welcome! 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: DC Comics owns all rights to the characters within. They are used without permission and not meant to infringe on copyrights or meant to generate income.

No internal dialog in this one.

Brothers in Arms, chapter 3

Superboy noted that it was dark, but tried to ignore that. He tried to ignore the warm sticky feel of Match's blood on his hands. He had to ignore all of this because it was taking every ounce of his power to hold the rubble off of him and the severely wounded Match below him.

Kon was aware that he could probably burst through the rubble, but he'd have to leave Match behind. Match who had saved him. Match whose injuries were his fault. Tears of shame mixed with sweat ran down his face.

"Just leave me," Match whispered. "Don't die because you're trying to save me."

"Shut up," Kon said through clenched teeth. "I'm trying to concentrate."

"Can you bust through?"

"I don't know. Can you help?"

"I'm keeping my wounds closed. I think I can keep up with you if you're clearing the way."

"Sounds better than suffocating down here. You ready?"

Match weakly chuckled. "On three."

Kon counted aloud. "One...two...THREE!"

He used his powers to rocket upwards while making sure he had a hold of Match. It was very difficult to shift aside the weight. Unfortunately, Kon's reserves ran out.

"So close," he thought as he had the vague sensation of someone grabbing his hand from above.

The next thing he knew, he was breathing fresh air and looking into Superman's face.

"Superboy, what happened?" he asked.

"Group I tried to kill us," he managed. "Match's hurt bad!"

"I'll get you both some help," Superman assured him. "I'm glad you're safe."

Superboy smiled faintly before passing out.

* * *

Superboy woke in a hospital bed. Superman was there and smiled when he woke. 

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Like crap," Kon groused. "I couldn't break through all that rubble on my own. I should have been able to."

"It came after more than an hour of you flying at your top speed and a fairly intense fight with Match. Don't beat yourself up over it."

Worry flared. "Is Match okay? I can't believe that Group I lied to me."

"He's in worse shape than you are. The doctors say he's stable."

Kon sighed. "I messed up. I believed what Group I told me about him. I shouldn't have. Why didn't I trust him?"

"We all mess up and do things we regret. You've tried to fix your mistakes. That says a lot about you."

Kon swung his feet to the floor. "Can I go see him? I want to talk to him."

"I'll go with you."

Superboy almost gasped when he saw Match lying in bed with all sorts of tubes hooked up to him. Match looked up at them when they entered.

Kon asked, "Match, how are you feeling?"

"Annoyed," was his response. "I don't like hospitals."

"Look, about what happened..."

Match shook his head. "Don't worry about it. They lied to you."

"So, you're not angry?"

Match gave him a slight smile. "I tried to kill you when we first met, so I don't think I'm someone who gets to hold grudges. I'm angry, but not at you. Group I just took advantage of your trusting nature."

"You make that sound like a bad thing."

Match sighed. "Superboy, you're a nice guy. Nice has never been a word to describe me. I'm a pessimist and have found only one case where trusting someone didn't blow up in my face."

"Who's that?"

"You."

"Me? You can still say that after I tried to take you down?"

"Yeah, I can," he said before smiling slyly. "Besides, if I wanted to take you down, you'd go down."

"What? This from the guy who lost our last fight."

"That doesn't count. You had about twenty years on me then. And, I have to ask you when you got your heat vision."

"Not that long ago. I'm still trying to get a handle on it."

"Match, why did Group I want Superboy dead?" Superman asked.

He shifted to give his attention to Superman. "He was a security risk. He heard of the organization and might have been able to track it down."

"And when you refused to kill him, you became a security risk as well," Superman reasoned.

"Yes. Thames has always valued efficiency, so giving information to get us in the same area to use one cruise missile strike is very much his style."

"So, how are we going to take them down?" Superboy asked.

Match gave them a nasty smile. "I know where their headquarters is. I can sneak in and get plenty of incriminating evidence. They'd have to face government oversight."

"That'll shut Group I down?"

"Not just Group I, but all the Groups, A through Z."

Superboy looked surprised. "There are more?"

"The name wasn't arbitrary."

"What can we do to help?" Superman asked.

Match paused. "With all due respect, you're not trained for this. Your presence would alert them and they could erase the information before we get it."

"I don't think you should go alone," Superboy interjected. "You're not one hundred percent physically. I'll go with you."

"I don't think that's a good idea. It's too dangerous."

"We worked well together before. Besides, if you can do it, so can I."

Match sighed and addressed Superman. "Don't you think this is too dangerous for him?"

"I don't like either of you going. Could Batman go instead?"

Match shook his head. "Time is extremely limited. They're probably preparing to relocate."

"Wouldn't they have already done so?"

"They don't know that I know where the headquarters is. I'm not supposed to. Plus, Thames doesn't want to lose face, so he would have tried to keep it quiet. It'd be dangerous for him otherwise."

"So, how did you find out?" Superboy asked.

"Logical deductions and discreet investigating led me to it."

"When do we go?"

Match sighed. "We'll go as soon as we can."

"Your injuries-"

Match pulled the tubes out of him. "I'll be fine. We'll need black clothes. No 'S' shields."

Superman gave them a look. "You're certain about this?"

"Yes."

* * *

Kon looked at the camouflaged fortress. He wasn't expecting it to be in a desert in Nevada. 

"You sure about this?" he asked.

Match replied, "It's far from prying eyes. It's either the Group's headquarters or a H.I.V.E. base."

"That wasn't what I meant. Are you sure we can handle this?"

"I am. We'll sneak in and head for the sub-basement. I'll be able to access the system from there."

"When did you get all of these spy skills? You didn't have them before."

"Group I implanted them. It wasn't a pleasant experience."

Match paused before continuing. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

Normally, air ducts would have been too small for people to crawl around in, but Superboy and Match hadn't reached their full size yet, so when combined with a frictionless telekinetic field, they were able to make their way around. There were a few traps and alarms, but Match was able to disarm or avoid them. 

They got to a terminal, and Match started burning the files to a disc.

Seine frowned. Someone was accessing the system and moving a large number of files.

He pushed a speaker button. "Please dispatch a security team to subbasement 3. Get Thames and Rhine to my office."

* * *

Superboy heard something. 

"Someone's coming," he hissed.

Match nodded and crouched behind a terminal. Kon hid under a desk.

Six guards entered.

One of them spoke into a radio. "No one is here, but a terminal is active."

"Shut it down," came the order over the radio.

As one of the guards approached it, Match popped out and used his force beams to knock the man out.

"We have a security breach!" one of them shouted as he leveled his gun at Match.

Superboy rolled out and hit the man.

The guards retreated, dragging their unconscious compatriots.

Alarms went off.

"This isn't good," Match said.

* * *

Seine looked at Thames and Rhine. Rhine was an elderly man and looked to be at least fifty years older than his two companions. 

"It appears as if we have a situation," he said calmly.

"Who could have come here?" Thames asked. "A double agent perhaps?"

Rhine asked in a steady voice, "What did they look like?"

Over the radio, the report was, "There were two of them, both young men. One had some sort of force beams from his eyes. The other was inhumanly strong. They looked identical, except for hair color."

Thames gasped as Seine asked, "Did one have black hair and one white?"

"Yes, sir."

Rhine smiled at Thames. "Your report said that you had dealt with Superboy and Match, did it not?"

"I...I thought-"

Rhine continued to smile. "I forgive you. Anyone can make a mistake. It's simply unacceptable. Seine, if you would?"

Seine took out a gun and shot three rounds into Thames' chest. Thames collapsed, dead.

Rhine looked at Seine. "Three shots were perhaps a bit excessive. Regardless, give the lock down and evacuation orders while I give the orders to detonate the Kryptonite Bomb."

* * *

Kon heard restraining walls slide into place. "That doesn't sound good." 

A voice came over the intercom. "All personnel, evacuate. There is one minute thirty seconds until the K-bomb is detonated."

"That's even worse," Match said. "Come on, come on...it's done."

He took the disc out.

"So, do we bust out now?" Kon asked.

"We're too deep and the building's too reinforced for us to do that. There should be escape pods down here."

While the two were running, Kon asked, "What's a K-bomb?"

"It's short for Kryptonite Bomb. They figured out how to make synthetic Kryptonite."

"Oh, that's not good."

They reached the lower level escape area. Match paused.

"What's wrong?" Kon asked.

Match answered with a punch that dazed Kon.

"There's only one, and you'd argue with me," Match explained as he pushed Kon into the pod.

He put the disc in Kon's hands and said, "Be well."

"Match!" Kon shouted as the hatch closed and the pod rocketed off.

* * *

Match grimaced. Only fifteen seconds until a massive explosion with Kryptonite dust occurred. He had an idea that could work. It was a gamble, but better than nothing.

* * *

Kon looked back at the headquarters. "Come on, come on." 

A green explosion consumed the building.

"Match!" Kon screamed, tears streaming down his face.

------------

To be concluded

Any and all comments are welcome!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: DC Comics owns all rights to the characters within. They are used without permission and not meant to infringe on copyrights or meant to generate income.

* * *

Brothers in Arms, chapter 4

It was three weeks after the explosion of the Group's headquarters, and Conner was still in a funk. He had seen death before, but he was still deeply disturbed by it. Clark and the Kents were worried. They had been talking about sending him to therapy.

Conner sat on the barn's roof and gave a laugh devoid of any warmth. He never would have guessed that his clone's demise would have affected him so much.

* * *

Batman was working on tracking down the Group's members when Oracle called him.

"I have news," she said.

"What is it?" he asked.

"There was an unusual piece of wreckage in the Group's headquarters. It looks like it's large enough to hold a body."

"Covered in Kryptonite dust?"

"Yes, but it's made of lead."

"It's been three weeks. The chance of surviving without food or water for that length of time is nearly non-existent."

"That is true."

"However, this should be brought to the Watchtower for decontamination and study. I'll notify Superman."

* * *

"Is it done yet?" Kon asked. "What's taking so long?"

Superman grimaced. "We don't know that it's Match in there. Even if it were, it's been three weeks. There's not a good chance of survival."

Kon looked downcast. "I know...but I have to know."

"The decontamination is finished," Batman said from behind them, startling Kon.

"You like doing that, don't you?" he accused.

Batman merely stared at Kon.

"Come on, let's open it up," Superman said.

Superman ripped open the twisted piece of metal to reveal an emaciated Match. Kon, thinking he was dead, choked off a sob. Superman stared at Match.

"I can hear a heartbeat!" he exclaimed. "He's alive!"

Even Batman was startled. "How?"

"Let's get him to the med bay first," Superman ordered. "Get J'onn to contact him telepathically and Dr. Mid-nite to treat him."

* * *

After Match was put in the med bay and hooked up, Dr. Mid-nite came out, looking grim.

"I don't understand how he's still alive," he admitted. "He's suffering from malnutrition, low oxygen in the blood, dehydration, and his blood chemistry is off."

J'onn reported, "He's in some sort of trance that prevents me from directly contacting him. I can try to interrupt it."

"Wake him up," Batman said.

They entered the med lab, and J'onn closed his eyes to concentrate. Match's eyes flew open and gasped. His eyes darted back and forth to take in his surroundings.

"I made it," he croaked with a smile on his face.

"How did you survive?" Batman asked.

"My will to survive was strong," Match replied. "I just needed to find a way."

He continued. "The Group's headquarters had lead-lined, sound-proofed rooms. From there, I was able to have a shield that would protect me from the Kryptonite. My telekinesis reinforced it to withstand the explosion."

"And the three weeks you were buried?"

"I used my powers to regulate my body functions, slowing my heartbeat and breathing. It was the only way I could have lasted that long."

Dr. Mid-nite looked aghast. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? You're not supposed to manipulate your body's processes like that!"

"It was the only way to survive," Match repeated.

"I'm glad that you're alive," Kon said as he impulsively hugged Match.

Match looked a bit startled and then smiled.

* * *

The end

A sequel/follow up is possibly forthcoming.

Any and all comments are welcome!


End file.
